bay bridge fist time

[Brian]

I debated for a while now if I should post this. On August 2 my buddy took me to the bay bridge for the first time, now I am no stranger to kayak fishing but I am usually on the river. In my mind I was thinking that this was going to be like the RT 90 bridge that I fished in April and that was choppy water, so I thought. We left at 0330 hrs and off we went, I did not take my pungo, he let me use his sot ocean Kayak. We hit up Anglers for some Spot for live lining and Anglers had none. No problem, he told me that we would catch our own. We got to Sandy Point and unloaded, the launch area is really good and the water looks like glass so we head out. I'm taking pictures, looking around fishing on the way out to the pylons with rocks around them, now the water started to change when we got out past the breaker rocks up and down I went and the tide would take us through the pylons and my buddy showed me how to cast and drift back under the bridge. This was really cool when I figured out how to do it. After a while I finally got a hit and that gave me a shot of adrenaline and now I'm ready to catch anything, monsters of the abyss here I come. Well I keep fishing and I see my buddy catching fish and I real my line in and check on my fish bites they are still there so I carry on. I go out the next to last pylon with the rocks around it and boom I get a hit, miss it then I casted out again and boom I got a strike, set the hook and get the fish in and it is approximately 9 - 9 1/2" white perch. I put it in my tow behind live bucket. Now I am really fishing, get a hit here and there and it is starting to get a little bit of a wind and the water that was going just up and down is now really going up and down and combined with the tide capping action is starting. I look over at my buddy and he is going on like it is a stroll in the park. I am thinking holly crap is there a such thing as class water in the the bay like in a river cause I am in it if there is. Now I must say I am glad at this point that I am in a sot and not my pungo although I did see a guy in a sit in having no problem. At this time I get out on the one side of the bridge out were the water was calmer and my stomach is starting to hurt a little, so I ate a granola bar and drank some power aid and fished on. My buddy then tells me lets go out and fish, we start really heading out and we are between the two bridges and wow I go down in one swell and and up on another, again I look at my buddy and hes is rolling along, I do notice that he has put his live bucket in his yak. It took me a while but I finally figured out that I should do the same because I am dragging this bucket, it was a easier to paddle when I did the same. So we get two away from where the grass and the cables go into the ground out there. My buddy yells over to me to hook my perch on and fish. I yell back you fish away, now the stomach thing has come back on me at full force. I am just out there now just hanging on to the seat straps and going up and down. I yell over at him I gotta head in and off I go. Now for me, it took me a while to get out there and now I am heading back, paddle paddle here hang on the straps there and yack a little there. I carry on slowly and now the cold sweats have started and I am thinking are you serious and I am trying to make my mind think that this is not happening. Now I am thinking has anyone ever called 911 to get towed back because you are sea sick, ha I am not going to be that guy. So I knuckle down and paddle on and I finally get to the rock breakers and the water is calming down, I am calming down. I get to the ramp, out of the kayak and over to the grass I lay. About 10 minutes later I am pretty much back to normal. A while later by buddy comes in and we load up and roll out. Ever since I have been thinking about getting back out there. Now next time I will be prepared and will have taken Dramamine.

[Cowpokey]

I've never been seasick, must suck.

[Fishtank]

I crewed on sport fishing charter boats for years. Seen more than a few people seasick. I always told them that the good news is you feel like you are going to die……The bad news is… you’re not!…They were usually able to muster up a smile for a second before the hurling continued.

[buzz]

Great report. I'll admit, it made me chuckle a little, but your writing also had me feeling your pain.
Its big water at the Bay Bridge and when it gets rolling its no laughing matter.

Of course the more you do it the more you get used to it. But I'll tell you what... next time you're thinking of going out there visit this link first.
http://www.wunderground.com/q/locid:MDSPSP

Scroll to the graph and click on the day you're heading out. Then look at the Wind Speed. If the predicted winds hover around 5mph or lower, you shouldn't have any trouble.

[Skidsteer]

... the good news is you feel like you are gonna to die……The bad news is… you’re not!…

So true ... and you're out hundreds of dollars for the pleasure.

[J.A. Veil]

Before resorting to Dramamine, try Motion Eaze. It is a viscous herbal fluid that you rub on behind your ears. It helps calm down the balance center in your head. You do not take it internally. It works pretty quickly, unlike Dramamine that must be taken well in advance. Also it does not make you drowsy and can be reapplied as needed. I do not need it myself, but have had several passengers who refused to step onto my center console without applying it first.

The Bay Bridge is in big water with unpredictable currents and sometimes large waves. It is probably not a good place for beginners to learn how to fish from a kayak. Having said that, some days are very fishable, while other days should be left for the most experienced kayakers.

[Shady]

Thanks for sharing your story, it'll get better!

[PigPen]

I've found staring at the fish finder in 1' waves start to get to me as well. But I also get car sick if I read too much.

[Cowpokey]

I've found staring at the fish finder in 1' waves start to get to me as well. But I also get car sick if I read too much.

From what I've heard, people that are susceptible to motion sickness need to have a point of reference that is stationary. When we would take people out on our charter boat in Alaska, we would tell people to look at the shoreline/mountains. The worst thing for those people would be trying to lay down in the cabin or stateroom, because then they could only see the inside of the boat.

It has to do with equilibrium; your sense of balance and vision need to be agreeing on what's going on. Even worse would be people staring at the water while standing on deck fishing; their eyes are telling them the water is going one direction (up/down) and their sense of balance would often tell them the opposite, because the boat isn't going up or down when the wave off the side is.

[Mbae]

Great report. I'll admit, it made me chuckle a little, but your writing also had me feeling your pain.
Its big water at the Bay Bridge and when it gets rolling its no laughing matter.

Of course the more you do it the more you get used to it. But I'll tell you what... next time you're thinking of going out there visit this link first.
http://www.wunderground.com/q/locid:MDSPSP

Scroll to the graph and click on the day you're heading out. Then look at the Wind Speed. If the predicted winds hover around 5mph or lower, you shouldn't have any trouble.

thanks for the helpful link. what do you think the average wind conditions should be to deem it fairly safe to head out?

[Cowpokey]

Someone here turned me on to Windfinder, here's a link for the Bay Bridge:

http://www.windfinder.com/forecast/annapolis_buoy

It can be more a matter of wind direction, than wind speed; depending on where you are.

[gillplate]

brian you did well.It was indeed a little sporty out there 3 weeks ago. that east/north east wind does pile em up. You handled yourself perfectly and showed that you can stay upright in some less than perfect conditions. As for the sickness' there aint a damn thing you can do about that once your out there. I have only been seasick once. On a overnighter for tuna out of Delaware.It was 6' to 10' seas allnight and if I had had a gun I think I might have used it.either on myself, or to make captain Rocky take me home.
12 hours out of a 24 hour trip I was absolutely miserable. The trip had been blown out 3 times due to weather and this was our last shot. Hey we got 3 yellowfin a bluefin and one dolphin. I learned something new about myself. Good Trip! We'll get out there again sometime when its nicer.Any time you want to use a SOT come git ya one.you no where there at.

[Backdoc]

Stay and fish. Upchuck over the side. Self made chum slick. I am fortunate that I do not get sea sick. When I was on active duty we got in some bad weather off the coast of Nova Scotia and had breakers coming over the bow of the USS Saratoga. Our flight deck was 66 feet from the surface. Lots of guys got sick and that was on a 1060 foot carrier. I can only imagine what was going on in the small boys that were in our battle group.

[gillplate]

I took dramamine 3 times before we left the dock. Next time I'll try motion ease, a wristband, something different. you couldnt walk from one side of the boat to the other without something to grab. kudos to the deadliest catch guys. I dont care if you are on a hundred foot boat, 30 to 50 foot seas cant be fun!!!

[gillplate]

Kuhttp://www.snaggedline.com/images/smilies/smile.kudos to you backdoc. thank you